UK based pétanque links

Below are a couple of interesting links that have been passed onto me by fellow team mates.  So if you are thinking of buying some boules or perhaps looking into building a piste, you may find them helpful.

http://www.completeboules.com/

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/C-33103-petanque

We have a home match this Sunday against Kettleburgh... should be interesting.

Just the ticket

Framlingham 2, Bressingham 4

It was 'all aboard' for a First Class trip to Framlingham on Sunday.  The Railway Inn was hosting the first match of Dave's experimental mini winter league, where two more of our novice players were gaining their Bressingham 'caps'.

Iris, Derek and their friendly team pulled out all the stops to make us feel very welcome at their newly-built terrain, officially opened only the day before.  Tea, coffee and biscuits on arrival, sandwiches & chips before our departure - British Rail was never this good!

Derek and his gang have done a great job on creating the new terrain.  Photograph supplied by Derek and Iris.

The match included a few amusing diversions, including swirling smoke across the playing area. In keeping with the location, I half expected to see the Flying Scotsman appear out of the mist but instead was broken out of my reverie by a loud peal of bells from the church next door.  In comparison, Bressingham is very mundane - our only excitement being when 'Lady' the neighbouring cat, strolls by.

Some excellent play from the new boys, Russ and Les, who obviously did not get side-tracked by the various distractions as I did. Dave's format of playing seven ends kept the games interesting and fairly even in length - a major factor in winter league matches.

Thank you Framlingham, we look forward to welcoming you for the return match on January 6th.  Any volunteers to organise the entertainment?

Lindsay

Experimental winter league

I have organised a (mini) winter league for three teams, as we didn't make it into our local(ish) one.

The matches will be a limited number of ends (probably seven) but with an extra round of games (three instead of two).  Pairs throughout, six games in total (two per round).  Matches should take around 1½ hours.  Draws are possible, not only for the overall match score but games within a match.

In the Norfolk & Norwich Winter League teams either win 3-0,2-1 or lose by the same scores.  In ours, results can be... 6-0, 5-1, 5-0, 4-2, 4-1, 4-0, 3-3, 3-2, 3-1, 3-0, 2-4, 2-3, 2-2, 2-1, 2-0, 1-5, 1-4, 1-3, 1-2, 1-1, 1-0, 0-6, 0-5, 0-4, 0-3, 0-2, 0-1 and 0-0 (twenty eight possible scores as opposed to 4)!  So, a 3-1 result would mean that two of the games were drawn (3+1+2=6).

Dave.

... by 'eck!

Visited Heckmondwike Petanque Club on the way back from Keighley, West Yorkshire.  Formed in February this year, they now have over 50 members!  They're a friendly bunch and very well organised.  Nice playing surface too.  Coffees, teas and biscuits at the end.

Lindsay and I couldn't work out the logic behind the numbering of the pistes though.  It went something like... 5-6-4, 1-3-2.  Update: See comment by Steven Penny for a plausible explanation.

Award

I went along to the Adnams Suffolk Coastal League Finals at Badingham, a couple of Sundays ago.  It was Meadlands who mastered the surface, defeating Cotton (their only loss) in the Grand Final.  Afterwards, the nine preliminary group winners and runners up, were awarded prizes.  We finished 11th overall (see below).

Thanks Simon!

Dave.

New recruit

Here is a picture of a little girl playing pétanque... actually it is Darren's daughter Izzi (5) who is just starting out.  She has her own circle, that she can position much nearer the cochonnet than the regular players to make for a fairer game.

Sometimes we would just mark a line for her to throw.  She won the match for us!

Metre lines

I have glued on some 1 metre marker sticks onto the timber surround as a distance aid.  It have also found it helpful for improving my accuracy when pacing out.

 

Very boring photograph

Not the best of pictures (the ground doesn't slope that much and the boulders are actually small stones) but you get the idea.

We now have eight regulars with others appearing here and there.  There is an end of season meeting tonight at the Village Hall (6.30) as there is lots to talk about.

Dave.